Rollers for stretching fabrics.



PATENTED JUNE 23, 1903.

W. BIRCH; ROLLERS FOR STRETOHING FABRICS.

APPLIOATION rum) MAY 6, 1902.

' UNITED I STATE PATENT Patented June 2 3, 1903.

OFFICE.

ROLLERS FOR STRETCHING FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO- 7 31,745, dated June 23, 1903.

Application filed May 6, 1902. Serial No. 106,117. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BIRCH, a citizen of England,,residin g at Milton Street Iron Works, Lower Broughton, Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 3011- ers for Stretching Fabrics, (for which I have applied for a patentin Great Britain, dated April 16, 1902, No. 8,859,) of WhlClllihG following is a specification.

Rollers for stretching fabrics in the one direction of their width have sometimes been made in the form of anumber of serrated disks or short rollers strung upon a curved bar on which they can turn as on an. axis.

I My invention relates to the construction and arrangement of stretching-rollers of this kind in such a manner that their curvature can be readily varied to suit different fabrics, as I shall describe, referring to the accompanying drawings. The number of such rollers to be used'in each machine can be varied.

Figure 1 is a plan of three stretching-rollers constructed according to my invention and their mountings. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of part of oneof the rollers, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4.

A number of bars or, made of steel or other suitable metal and of rectangular section, are held side by side inend sockets b, there being strung upon the bars a numberof sleeves c, which have square holes to fit loosely on the bars and are externally circular. On these sleeves are mounted so as to turn freely short rollers d, each externally grooved, so as to present furrows and ridges of ratchet shape. The short rollers d also have their ends interlocked by clutch teeth 25 and are pressedtoward each other by springs s. The sockets Z) are made with eyes which fit on pins e, projecting up from two frames f, which are fitted to slide on a pair of bars 9, which connect two end frames h. In these frames is mounted a screw-spindle is, having right and left hand threads which engage in the frames f, as in nuts, and canbe turned by a hand-Wheel Z, so as to move the frames f nearer to or farther from one another. As the bars Ct are bent and somewhat flexible in the horizontal direction, this movement of theframes f gives a greater or less degree of curvature, as may be found necessary for their proper action on fabrics of various kinds, the fabric being drawn in the usual way, under the first bent roller 00, over the middle roller y, and under the third roller .2.

Although only some. of the rollers d are shown in Fig. 1 to be grooved, it is to be understood that they are all so grooved, about half the number-namely, all those on the right of the middle roller-having their ridges sloped to the one hand, and all those on the left of the middle roller having'their ridges sloped to the other hand, the middle roller being sloped according to those on either side of it, so that all tend to draw the fabric from the middle toward the selvages, thus stretching it in the direction of its Width.

Having thus described the nature of this invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I would have it understood that I make no general claim to a stretchingroller consisting of a number of interlocked grooved short rollers strung side by side on a curved axison which they can revolve; but

What 'I claim in respect of rollers of that kind is- 1. In apparatus for stretchingfabrics in the direction of their width, the combination, for the purpose of forming one or more stretching-rollers, of, first, flexible bars; second, interlocked grooved rollers strung upon such bars and, third, sliding, frames by moving which the curvature of such bars may be varied, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In fabric-stretching apparatus, a flexible bar or support, rotatory rollers mounted on the bar, end supports for the bar, and mechanism for moving at least one of the supports to vary the curvature of the bar; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Lhave hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM BIROI-I.

Witnesses WILLIAM TURNER, CHARLES BUOKNALL. 

